Looking for a robot vacuum and mop to either root and put Valetudo on it or one that prioritizes privacy (offline modes.)
bObsweep UltraVision claims:
Make no mistake: UltraVision fully respects your privacy, UltraVision never sends images anywhere - servers, cloud, or otherwise - be it of your room layout or your cleaning habits. Furthermore, any info you personally insert into the app, such as your name and email address, is stored on US-based servers. Nothing gets exported to foreign servers (unlike your neighbor’s expensive vacuum).
Narwhal claims it keeps information stored locally as well and encrypts data on the phone app.
Is there an advantage to rooting a vacuum and using Valetudo if the vendor doesn’t store information on cloud? Would using the vendor app be a security risk?
Thanks!
never trust proprietary software that connects to the internet or company claims if you aim for privacy.
I specifically bought mine for this very reason!
Roborock S5 Max.
Its an older model - and it has all the connectivity / WiFi crap in it - but if you never sync it to the app in the first place (or allow it WiFi access), it works fine with local LIDAR and off line mode.
Good vac; recommended.
PS: I can’t believe they called that app Valetudo (I get it - Hygieia). Just…that word has a very different meaning in many folks brains
PS: I can’t believe they called that app Valetudo (I get it - Hygieia). Just…that word has a very different meaning in many folks brains
It’s the robot vs the dirt, a fight to the death, or at least unconsciousness or a hospital trip! 🤣
I feel like I remember hearing about an event or series called Valetudo in like, the middle east or something, back in the 90s around like, UFC 1-3 timeframe. Where like, Rickson did the majority of his fighting as far as I understood/remember. I didn’t know until today it was a catchall term! I remember my buddy telling me about how absolutely legendary Rickson was and how it was such a shame all we had in the UFC was Royce, lol. I think I only ever saw him fight once, in Pride I’d guess… likely against Sakuraba (but I’m guessing and scraping the memory banks hard here.)
Edit: AH, just looked it up, it was Takada … a judo expert iirc … yes, some of the cobwebs shaking loose now! And the “Vale Tudo” I’d heard about was a thing, but it wasn’t in the middle east, it was Japan it seems! Probably confusing it with something else that was in the middle east.
Your memory is not bad :)
The middle east thing was likely ADCC. The Japan thing was likely PRIDE, NHB or Lumax Cup. Many different promotions before UFC ate em up back then.
You’d love these I think
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_a_Champion
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smashing_Machine_(2025_film)
Looks neat!!
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Smashing_Machine_(2025_film)
For some reason I think I thought this was about a boxer or something… I don’t keep up on much that isn’t IMAX 70mm. After hitting IMDB, I’m almost more interested in the original HBO documentary!
I’ll grab all three and see how many I can convince the mrs’ to watch with me, ty!! :-)
Perfect! Thank you!
Pro tip: Modern battery powered vacuums are lightweight and easy to carry and use. As someone with both a battery powered “manual” vacuum and a robot vacuum (an old one that relies on infrared beacons and has no app integration/smart features), I find that it’s usually more annoying to prep the floor for robot vacuuming (find and remove cables and anything that can jam it, remove temporary things strewn around so it can get to the areas under them, move furniture so it doesn’t get stuck, roll up fluffy rugs that it can get caught on, etc, and then having the anxiety that you missed something so you end up following it around anyway) than just vacuuming myself and moving stuff as I go. It’s one of the things that seem convenient until you actually take a step back and assess whether the problems it creates actually outweighs the problems it solves. Also, I don’t know if the modern ones are better at navigation but mine just rolls around like a pinball and it takes significantly longer for it to cover all the areas than if I did it, and it can end up never actually covering some areas because, again, it just rolls around basically randomly.
Apparently newer models have way better navigation.
The purpose of a robot vacuum isn’t to stop manually cleaning the floor; it is to complement my work and do general upkeep. I had an old iRobot which got stuck everywhere and bounced around randomly till it cleaned a room. It stopped working. So now I am in the market for a robot vacuum mop duo.
I have the Hoover One Power battery light weight vacuum. Strong suction, light weight, and easy for anyone to use. I love it too.
neat!
i didn’t know valetudo exists and i’m going to try it since i’m not longer able to seperate my vaccuum from the rest of the network.
You need a compatible vacuum.
And if it’s a dreame, then you also need a dreame breakout pcb, which seems easier to acquire in Europe.
just learned that i can’t since mine isn’t supported so i’ll have to try it the next time i need to get another vacuum.
The ones that are easily accessible to me are all not supported either.
I run an old Roomba that’s offline. It works perfectly fine without being connected to anything. It’s a vacuum, not everything needs to be smart. I’ll upgrade at some point and not let the new device on the Internet either
Valetudo has the advantage of being compatible with MQTT, Home Assistant and others. And it’s FOSS so you get all the advantages of a community-driven project as well.
UltraVision fully respects your privacy
Furthermore, any info you personally insert into the app, such as your name and email address, is stored on US-based servers
Lol, immediate contradiction.
Answer to your question: Only local/offline is privacy respecting. Anything else is naif
Great thread. I run an old Roomba i3 with optical sensor (no camera). In the market to upgrade to a European and privacy respecting device.
Let me know what you upgrade to!
Today’s promise turns into tomorrow’s vulnerability. Even if they are 100% honest with that statement, there’s no guarantee they won’t go back on their word in the future.
You’re right.
So, whether they store the information or not, the information may not be encrypted while being processed (lots of IoT tech doesn’t encrypt data streams, and some of them don’t even have a firewall between them and the internet).
There’s no good reason for them to need Internet access to sweep or mop your house.
I run a iRobot i3 and cutting its internet connection renders it useless. I’m eyeing a dreame l40 ultra for valetudo
